Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote environmentally sustainable methods of farming.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is committed to promoting environmentally sustainable farming in a variety of ways. One of the key aims of A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture , which I launched last year, is better integration of agricultural and environmental objectives. We are taking forward the Custodians of Change report which I commissioned following publication of the Forward Strategy and will be consulting early in the New Year on further proposals to improve the operation of agri-environment schemes.

Agriculture

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28916 by Ross Finnie on 25 September 2002, what its estimate is of the area of land that is under traditional secure tenancy arrangements; what the source and date is for such an estimate; how many farm units are held under such tenure, and what the average size of such units is.

Ross Finnie: Over 1.7 million Ha of agricultural land in Scotland are rented under full tenancy agreements (that is, tenancies under the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991 with traditional secure tenants or limited partnership tenants, including minor holdings) (source: Scottish Agricultural Statistics , Scottish Executive, 2001). As I explained in the answer given to question S1W-28914 on 18 October 2002, there were estimated to be around 14,000 full tenancy agreements under the 1991 act active in Scotland in 2001. We do not hold information centrally which subdivides this figure further. On the basis of the above information, we estimate that the average size of a holding under a full tenancy agreement in Scotland is around 120 Ha.

  A Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey estimated that around 64% of such tenanted land is held under 1991 act tenancies with a traditional secure tenant (source: Land Tenure Patterns in Scotland, RICS Scotland, 1995, Table 1). This would mean that around 1 million Ha of agricultural land in Scotland are held under traditional secure 1991 act tenancies.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions can be found on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search..

Agriculture

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Agricultural Business Development Scheme can be extended to areas outwith the Highlands and Islands and, if not, what other assistance can be available to dairy farmers in north-east Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The Agricultural Business Development Scheme (ABDS) is an integral component of the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme and is funded jointly by the Scottish Executive and the European Union. The scheme is only open to those applicants who operate an eligible agricultural business within the programme area. This covers some parts of the north-east of Scotland, including the whole of the Highland Council and some Moray Council areas. I have no plans to extend ABDS outwith the programme area.

  However, farming families with holdings located in parts of Scotland, outwith the programme area, may be eligible to apply for assistance under the Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS), which is funded by the Scottish Executive. In many respects this scheme is similar to the ABDS. It is a competitive scheme offering variable rates of grant to farming families wishing to diversify or to expand or to improve existing diversified enterprises although, unlike the ABDS, it currently does not provide support for investments in agricultural holdings.

  As you might know, the FBDS was designed by my department in conjunction with partner organisations, including the farming industry. It appears to be performing well. However, I recently commissioned a review to assess its first years’ performance and to consider whether any improvements to it are needed. The review, which includes full consultation with our partners, is scheduled to report to me early in the New Year. I will of course inform the Parliament should any significant changes emerge.

Audiology

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to the situation regarding audiology staffing as reported in A Survey of Staffing in NHS Hospital Audiology Departments: An Interim Report from the Audiology Needs Assessment Group .

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take following its decision to suspend tendering for a BSc course in audiology after tenders had been submitted.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The full report of the Audiology Review was received from the Public Health Institute of Scotland (PHIS) on 31 October. It is accessible on the PHIS website at: www.phis.org.uk .

  The Executive’s response to the review report will be given once we have had an opportunity to fully consider all of the review group’s recommendations including those affecting staffing.

Buildings

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise the quality of design for new buildings and refurbished buildings in rural villages.

Hugh Henry: The publication of Designing Places in November 2001 launched the Executive’s policy to raise standards of design through the planning system. In particular, it sent key messages about improving the quality of design in new development in both rural and urban areas. The forthcoming Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 1 The Planning System will reinforce this message.

  Designing Places will be followed up with a series of more detailed advice notes. The first of these notes, which will be published early next year, will be on housing quality.

Central Heating

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been approved under its central heating installation programme, broken down by type of fuel used in the system installed.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30388 on 22 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Central Heating

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time between receipt of an application and notification of approval or rejection has been under its central heating installation programme in each postcode area.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the national average waiting period is between an application for the installation of central heating under its central heating programme being lodged and a successful applicant having a heating system installed.

Hugh Henry: There are no figures on the length of time between an application being lodged and approved. The average length of time between an application being approved and central heating being installed is currently around six months.

Central Heating

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a waiting period of one year between the lodging of an application for the installation of central heating under its central heating programme and a successful applicant having a heating system installed represents a reasonable waiting time.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what length of time represents a reasonable waiting time between lodging an application for the installation of central heating under its central heating programme and a successful applicant having a heating system installed.

Hugh Henry: The length of time taken to approve an application varies between cases. It depends on such things as whether the applicant is an owner-occupier or private tenant, in which case the landlord’s permission must be sought. The length of time between an application being approved and the central heating going in also varies between cases. It depends on such things as whether a new fuel type has been chosen, in which case planning permission may be required before it can be provided. In all cases the number of central heating systems installed each year is dependent on the budget for the programme.

Childcare

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage men to take up careers in childcare.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is keen to encourage both men and women to take up careers in childcare. In 2000 it launched Childcare: The Training Challenge - An Action Plan for the Training and Development of Workers in Early Education, Childcare and Playwork . It has also published Working With Children , a guide to qualifications and careers in early education and childcare. Both of these publications make it clear that we welcome men working in childcare.

  In March 2002 I announced an additional £9.2 million for the period 2002-04, which will be allocated to local authorities for the expansion and development of the early years workforce. In the Scottish Budget additional resources were identified and for 2004-05 and 2005-06 the amount allocated to local authorities for this purpose will increase again to £6 million each year. The Executive will write to local authorities giving examples of areas that the funding can be used for, and one area that we will highlight is increasing the diversity of the early years workforce.

Concessionary Travel

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation is being made of its concessionary travel scheme for elderly and disabled people.

Lewis Macdonald: Free local off-peak concessionary bus travel for elderly and disabled people has been delivered through enhancements to the 16 existing concessionary fares schemes operated by local authorities in Scotland.

  A research project has been commissioned by the Executive to monitor travel behaviour both before and after the enhancements came into force in order to accurately gauge their impact.

Courts

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned an audit of sheriff courts on the cost to them of conforming to the requirements under disability legislation for access by disabled people to public buildings; when this audit was commissioned; whether it has published or will publish the audit on completion; what funding the Scottish Courts Administration has received to enable access to sheriff courts to comply with the legislation; how much has been allocated to each court, and when such allocation was made.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Court Service commissioned access consultants to undertake an audit of the court estate to determine the scale and extent of work required throughout the estate to ensure compliance with Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act. That process identified a number of areas where the consultants believed that modification of the court estate could be beneficial to courts users with a disability. These recommendations are currently being examined to determine their feasibility and cost of implementation. There are no plans to publish the audit results.

  Details of the resources for the Scottish Court Service were published in the Building a Better Scotland – Spending Proposals 2003-2006: What the Money Buys. Additional funds have been made available to enable the Scottish Court Service to accommodate pressures on its capital programme. This funding will, in part, be used to provide improved facilities for the disabled in the court estate. The cost of the programme of works required is being assessed. Funds have not been specifically allocated to individual court buildings as the programme of works will be developed and implemented on an estate wide basis.

Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to improve the transition between primary and secondary school.

Mr Jack McConnell: While there have been significant improvements in the working relationship between primary and secondary schools over recent years, we need to go further.

  We want to see flexibility and choice developed at a local level to give each child the chance to fulfil his or her potential. Improving progress in S1 and S2, through more setting and school clusters working together, must be the next step towards that goal.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the performance of students in Higher English, as referred to by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in its recent report on the 2002 exam diet.

Nicol Stephen: Ministers take very seriously the Assessment Panel report on Higher English and recognise the importance of the SQA taking forward the recommendations for action.

  Separate from these recommendations the Scottish Executive is involved in a series of initiatives to improve standards in English and related subjects throughout the school curriculum - including Higher English.

Elderly People

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is tackling the fear of crime amongst elderly people.

Dr Richard Simpson: Recent survey information suggests that Scotland is a safer place to live compared to the rest of the UK, not only for older people but also generally, and that the fear of crime amongst older people is also lower.

  We have set a target to reduce the fear of crime or seriousness of worry about crime in the justice section of the recently published Building a Better Scotland – Spending Proposals 2003-06. Whilst no specific target or date has been set for this to be achieved, we aim to reduce the fear of crime for all in our communities by successfully meeting other targets within the same proposals to reduce specific areas of serious crime. This should have a positive effect on how safe our communities feel. We shall use the Scottish Crime Survey 2004 results to measure progress.

Elderly People

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its crime statistics support the research by the Scottish Gas and Help the Aged partnership into the fear of crime amongst older people.

Dr Richard Simpson: The recent findings published by Scottish Gas and Help the Aged support data from the Scottish Crime Survey which suggest that Scotland is a safer place to live not only for older people but also generally. However, whilst our statistics tend to confirm that older people in Scotland are almost half as likely to be victims of violent crime as those in England and Wales, the level of fear of crime amongst older people in Scotland, whilst still lower than England and Wales, is disproportionate to the level of crime they experience. This message needs to be reinforced and the additional investment we are making to tackle serious crime, such as violence and drugs, the measures we have introduced and the targets we have set to reduce these and other crimes should have a positive effect on how our communities feel.

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry route.

Lewis Macdonald: A draft Service Specification was issued to key local interests in Kintyre and around Ballycastle on 11 October. I would expect to receive responses to that consultation by Monday of next week.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing licenses have been allocated to non-Scottish registered vessels in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Ross Finnie: In the UK, licences are issued annually for vessels over 10 metres in length and biennially for vessels of 10 metres and under in length, and as and when necessary for individual vessels as a result of, for example, the introduction of a new or replacement vessel or change in vessel characteristics affecting licensing details. So the position may change from day to day.

  Fishing vessel licences are issued by the Fisheries Departments in the UK on the basis of a vessel’s port of administration, as set out in arrangements notified to the industry in June 1999. As at 31 December 2001, licences had been issued on that basis by the Fisheries Departments across the UK to more than 4,500 fishing vessels with a port of registration outwith Scotland.

Fisheries

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing licenses are being managed at ports outwith Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The arrangements in the UK are that licences are issued to fishing vessels by the Fisheries Departments on the basis of a vessel’s port of administration. The arrangements relating to fishing vessel licensing following devolution were set out in letters sent to individual vessel owners and other industry interests in June 1999.

  As at 31 December 2001, over 4,500 UK-registered fishing vessels (excluding vessels in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey) had a port of administration outwith Scotland.

Fisheries

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reject the application for a protection order under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 covering the Loch Assynt area.

Allan Wilson: The application for a Protection Order covering the Loch Assynt area has been rejected.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking on the current industrial dispute at the Central College of Commerce in Glasgow.

Iain Gray: I have nothing further to add to the answer given to question S1O-5472 on 5 September 2002, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

General Practitioners

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in tackling GP recruitment in rural areas.

Malcolm Chisholm: A range of measures are in place to support the retention and recruitment of GPs in remote and rural areas. New GPs joining the NHS in remote and rural areas get the standard £5,000 "Golden Hello" payment and a further £5,000 as a special remote and rural supplement.

  Personal Medical Services pilots offer particular advantages to remote and rural practices by tailoring working arrangements and GP contracts to specific practice needs - we are investing £18.5 million over three years in the initiative. The Inducement Payment Scheme tops up rural GPs’ salaries. The Associate Allowance helps single handed GPs to employ an associate, and the Scottish Rural Practice Fund compensates GPs for time spent visiting patients in scattered practices. Locum allowances enable GPs to attend educational courses and assist with the costs of out-of-hours cover.

Health

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider setting up satellite dialysis units to serve patients suffering from kidney failure in the islands.

Malcolm Chisholm: Decisions regarding the planning and provision of services, including specialist provision for renal services, is primarily a matter for NHS boards in accordance with the health needs of the local population.

Health

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to improve the financial circumstances of kidney dialysis patients in the islands who suffer hardship in travelling to mainland hospitals for regular and/or daily treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Scotland) Regulations 1988 as amended by the NHS (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) (Scotland) Regulations 1996 provides for two patients’ travelling expenses schemes, a non-means tested Highlands and Islands Scheme and a means tested scheme for the rest of the country. Health boards also have discretion to reimburse the travel costs of patients eligible for assistance under the statutory travel schemes where this is viewed as an extension of the patients’ treatment costs and deemed clinically necessary.

Health

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider placing satellite kidney units in rural areas as part of the primary care modernisation programme.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Primary Care Modernisation Group, in its first report published in March 2002, recommended that in order to provide integrated care for patients, it must be a core responsibility of NHS boards to establish local mechanisms which bring together local health care co-operatives and the specialist sector to develop strong collaborative arrangements to tackle issues of joint interest. The Executive has put in place a programme of investment and reform to improve capacity in primary care, provide improved access to a broader range of services and care close to the patient’s own home.

  Decisions on the planning and provision of services, including specialist provision for renal service, is a matter for NHS boards in accordance with the health needs of the local population.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all GP surgeries are linked to acute sector hospitals through the General Practice Administration System for Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: All GP surgeries and NHS hospitals are linked to NHS networks and are able to communicate with each other electronically. Over 80% of GP practices use the General Practice Administration System for Scotland (GPASS); nearly all of the remainder use commercial systems. The Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation (ECCI) programme is helping practices and hospitals in all NHS board areas to implement electronic transmission of laboratory test results, referral and discharge letters, and appointment booking.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing the pilot and evaluation of patient-held smart cards, as referred to in section 5 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: It is intended that the setting up of pilot patient-held smartcards should be co-ordinated with the work of the Scottish Executive’s 21st Century Government Unit on developing and supporting an infrastructure for Citizen’s Cards through the Modernising Government Fund. Decisions about the timing of the patient-held smartcard will be made as that programme develops.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the patients project can be accessed by members of the public, as referred to in section 5 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Service Research Unit (HSRU) was commissioned to develop a guide to producing health information (available at www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/guide.hti). As part of this, HSRU developed three patient guides based on SIGN guidelines. These guides were published in May of this year. Currently discussions are under way with NHS 24 about its potential role as a single national source of patient information and advice.

  In addition to the above guidance, a network of information specialists including patient, NHS and voluntary body representatives, will be established throughout Scotland. The network will be instrumental in the sharing of good practice and the development of a patient information strategy.

  Opportunities to extend health information access points are currently being explored, to help people find care, treatment and local service information at a variety of locations within local communities.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the programme of occupational health measures, as referred to in section 2 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is implementing occupational health policies and initiatives for the NHS, for business generally, and has provided new resources to help develop initiatives for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Taken together, this forms the basis for an integrated occupational health strategy for Scotland. The combined funding total, from 2001-02 to 2003-04, is £7 million. This will form an important component of our wider strategy for a significant improvement in Scotland's health.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether mixed wards still exist and, if so, how many currently exist in each NHS board area and how this complies with its target of eliminating such wards by April 2002, as referred to in section 6 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: Very substantial progress has been made towards achieving the target of ending mixed sex hospital wards. At present, of the 1,630 wards in Scotland, 1,591 are fully compliant. This represents 98% compliance and 2% non-compliance. Plans are in place to make the remaining 39 wards compliant in the shortest possible time. In the meantime, all trusts have agreed with their local health council a local policy to ensure that the dignity and privacy of patients is respected at all times in non-compliant wards.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the creation of fast-track graduate-entry medical degree courses, as referred to in section 8 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The first stage in an on-going programme to review the Scottish Medical Workforce was completed earlier this year with the publication on 3 July 2002 of the report Future Practice . The report recommended that further work be undertaken to explore increased output from Scotland’s medical schools. We have therefore invited Sir Kenneth Calman to review aspects underpinning the provision of basic medical education in Scotland. This work is under way and will address the possibility of establishing fast-track graduate-entry medical degree courses in Scotland.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the establishment of the NHS Centre for Change and Innovation, as referred to in section 8 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change .

Malcolm Chisholm: The Centre for Change and Innovation, which will have a pivotal role in supporting major service improvement in NHSScotland, was established on 1   November 2002.

  Ms June Andrews, currently Director of Nursing, Forth Valley Acute Hospitals Trust and formally Scottish Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, has been appointed to the position of Head of the centre and brings to the post a wide experience of NHS issues.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual allocation of resources was to Argyll and Clyde NHS Board in each year from 1999-2000 to date.

Malcolm Chisholm: The annual allocation of resources to Argyll and Clyde NHS Board from 1999-2000 to date are as follows:

  


1999-2000 
  

£396.906 million 
  



2000-01 
  

£430.583 million 
  



2001-02 
  

£456.986 million 
  



2002-03 
  

£475.936 million 
  



  Note:

  The allocation shown for 2002-03 is as at Friday 1 November 2002. Further allocations may issue before the end of the financial year.

Higher Education

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the value to the higher education sector of fees from overseas students.

Iain Gray: According to research carried out by Strathclyde University on behalf of the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals (now Universities Scotland), Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Scotland received £63 million in academic fees from overseas students during 1996-97 (Economic Aspects of Scottish Higher Education Institutions, COSHEP, November 1999) . Projecting this forward, it is estimated that Scottish HEIs earned some £70 million in fees from international students in 1999-2000.

Historic Scotland

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the role and operation of Historic Scotland in light of the evidence taken by the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

Dr Elaine Murray: It is Executive policy to review the work of all departments and agencies from time to time.

  The Education, Culture and Sport Committee have asked ministers to review the roles and responsibilities of Historic Scotland in their response to the Public Appointments (Scotland) Bill. Ministers are considering this request and will be responding in advance of the Stage 2 discussions on the bill.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alter Historic Scotland's operating instructions as set out in Historic Scotland - Framework Document 2001 .

Dr Elaine Murray: The framework document reflects the responsibility of Historic Scotland to discharge statutory functions of Scottish ministers. The framework document will be revised to reflect the fact that Historic Scotland no longer fulfils the departmental sponsorship function in respect of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

  The Education, Culture and Sport Committee have asked Scottish ministers to review the roles and responsibilities of Historic Scotland in their response to the Public Appointments (Scotland) Bill. Ministers are considering this request and will be responding in advance of the Stage 2 discussions on the bill.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to resume control of powers and decisions currently delegated to Historic Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray: Historic Scotland is an agency of the Scottish Executive, within the Education Department, acting on behalf of Scottish ministers. Officials of Historic Scotland are civil servants of the Scottish Executive and directly accountable to me through the Chief Executive.

  Scottish ministers can request that officials of Historic Scotland seek ministerial agreement to decisions which can be made under delegated powers.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there would be any advantages in Historic Scotland being subject to more scrutiny.

Dr Elaine Murray: All public bodies can benefit from informed scrutiny and review from time to time.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work of Historic Scotland could be assisted by it being accountable to a board representative of a range of different interests.

Dr Elaine Murray: No. Historic Scotland is directly accountable to Scottish ministers and, through them, to this Parliament. However, ministers are currently considering ways in which independent advice on the built heritage and the discharge of functions relating to it might be most appropriately obtained.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why the powers and responsibilities of Historic Scotland, as set out in the Historic Scotland Framework Document 2001 , are not available for public view on the agency’s website and whether there are any plans to make the framework document available on the website.

Dr Elaine Murray: Historic Scotland has recently refreshed its website and is currently extending the range of publications on it. This includes the framework document which is now available on the website.

Hospitals

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment there has been in (a) Stracathro Hospital and (b) Arbroath Infirmary in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Tayside Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been reviewing its acute service delivery and, as a result, planned (subject to approvals) capital investment at Stracathro Hospital is £10 million; this is to develop an Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Treatment Center (ADTC). As part of the ADTC development, capital investment for 2002-03 is planned to be £585,000. Clinicians and managers at Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust have also met to discuss the service delivery implications of the Acute Services Review on Arbroath Infirmary. Future capital investment will follow from service delivery decisions to best meet the needs of the Angus population and the residents of Arbroath.

  The capital investment at Stracathro Hospital and Arbroath Infirmary for the last five financial years is as follows:

  





Stracathro Hospital
(£000) 
  

Arbroath Infirmary
(£000) 
  



2001-02 
  

71 
  

30 
  



2000-01 
  

Nil 
  

16 
  



1999-2000 
  

131 
  

643 
  



1998-99 
  

211 
  

102 
  



1997-98 
  

348 
  

195 
  



  Further information, if required, can be obtained directly from the trust.

Hospitals

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment is planned for (a) Stracathro Hospital and (b) Arbroath Infirmary.

Malcolm Chisholm: Tayside Acute Hospitals NHS Trust put forward £10 million plans to develop an Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Treatment Centre (ADTC) at Stracathro Hospital to the trust board on 30 October. The ADTC business case was approved by the trust board and will now be submitted to NHS Tayside Board for consideration.

  In terms of Arbroath Infirmary, a service planning workshop was held with clinicians on 26 September to identify services which would compliment those services being provided at Stracathro Hospital as a result of the Acute Services Review. Capital investment planning will follow once the service delivery has been agreed.

Housing

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that social housing meets acceptable standards.

Hugh Henry: As part of a package of housing measures, Margaret Curran announced earlier today that we intend to work with local authorities, registered social landlords and others to develop a national quality standard for social housing.

Hutters

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its proposals in the light of the responses to its Consultation Paper on possible legislation to provide greater protection for hutters in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: Consideration of the consultative response has confirmed substantial drawbacks to any attempt to legislate in this area. Legislation would be contrary to the fundamental principles of Scots law, in particular that leased land under a short lease reverts to the landlord at expiry of the lease and that property built on leased land belongs to the landlord; legislation could not be retrospective or applicable to hutters only, and its promotion might precipitate changes to the ownership and management of comparable estates in Scotland which would be profoundly damaging to the interests of hutters.

  We are aware that constructive discussions continue at local level to resolve the difficulties at Carbeth. It would not be appropriate for the Executive to seek to intervene in private negotiations between landlord and tenants, but we would encourage local resolution of such difficulties.

Hutters

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any recent eviction from a chalet on the Drimsynie Estate near Lochgoilhead and, if so, what its response is.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is aware of developments on this estate, but it would not be appropriate to comment on any related civil action.

Legal Aid

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the legal aid exemption limit in most matrimonial cases was first set at £2,500; when it was first announced that this limit would rise to £4,200, and when this increase will come into force.

Dr Richard Simpson: The capital disregard from winnings in matrimonial cases was first set at £2,500 in 1987. I announced the Executive’s intention to increase the exemption limit to £4,200 on 13 March. The increase has now been incorporated in the replacement set of civil legal aid regulations which I have just laid in the Parliament and which will come into force on 1 December.

Local Government

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed the timescale for reviewing local authority boundaries in the light of the current review of parliamentary boundaries.

Mr Andy Kerr: No. As stated in the Executive’s consultation paper on Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps published earlier this year, there are no plans to review local authority boundaries in the foreseeable future.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute psychiatric beds have been available in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to determine from national information the number of beds available specifically for acute psychiatric care. Nationally, beds are classified by clinical specialty and by clinical facility (e.g. standard specialty ward, adolescent unit) only. The following table shows the trend in daily average available beds in all psychiatric specialties excluding Psychiatry of Old Age. In the latter specialty the majority of patients using hospital beds will be in hospital for non-acute reasons. It should also be noted that some of the available beds in general psychiatry, which are included in the table, will be occupied by patients receiving continuing care.

  Average Available Staffed Beds1; All Psychiatric Specialties Excluding Psychiatry of Old Age; by Health Board Area: Years Ending 31 March 1998-2002

  


Health Board of Treatment 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002P




Scotland 
  

 4,375 
  

 4,212 
  

 3,951 
  

 3,753 
  

 3,577 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

 570 
  

 521 
  

 496 
  

 483 
  

 468 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

 264 
  

 248 
  

 238 
  

 227 
  

 221 
  



Borders 
  

 82 
  

 75 
  

 67 
  

 64 
  

 64 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

 182 
  

 178 
  

 140 
  

 106 
  

 82 
  



Fife 
  

 280 
  

 279 
  

 287 
  

 281 
  

 276 
  



Forth Valley 
  

 261 
  

 261 
  

 207 
  

 195 
  

 195 
  



Grampian 
  

 324 
  

 310 
  

 307 
  

 295 
  

 295 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

 716 
  

 733 
  

 695 
  

 656 
  

 637 
  



Highland 
  

 142 
  

 142 
  

 142 
  

 142 
  

 142 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

 402 
  

 392 
  

 358 
  

 356 
  

 338 
  



Lothian 
  

 663 
  

 637 
  

 599 
  

 553 
  

 536 
  



Orkney 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Shetland 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Tayside 
  

 479 
  

 427 
  

 408 
  

 387 
  

 317 
  



Western Isles 
  

 10 
  

 10 
  

 6 
  

 6 
  

 7 
  



  PProvisional.

  Note:

  1. Includes joint-user and contractual hospitals.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many voluntary patients were treated in acute psychiatric beds in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to determine from national sources patients who were treated specifically in beds allocated for acute care. The following table shows the total number of individuals who were informally admitted to a psychiatric hospital or unit, excluding patients admitted to the specialty of Psychiatry of Old Age, on at least one occasion during the year specified. It is likely that some of the patients included in the table will have been admitted for reasons other than for acute care. The figures for year ending March 2002 are not yet available.

  Patients Informally Admitted1,2 to Mental Illness Hospitals or Psychiatric Units in Scotland3; April 1997 to March 20014; Psychiatric Specialties Excluding Psychiatry of Old Age

  


Health Board of Residence5


1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001P




Scotland 
  

13,588 
  

13,629 
  

13,290 
  

13,044 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

1,533 
  

1,490 
  

1,507 
  

1,445 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

1,183 
  

1,139 
  

1,045 
  

1,011 
  



Borders 
  

286 
  

293 
  

273 
  

266 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

460 
  

423 
  

379 
  

405 
  



Fife 
  

803 
  

805 
  

762 
  

696 
  



Forth Valley 
  

627 
  

609 
  

529 
  

603 
  



Grampian 
  

1,040 
  

1,171 
  

1,093 
  

1,058 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

2,568 
  

2,554 
  

2,590 
  

2,607 
  



Highland 
  

580 
  

675 
  

648 
  

745 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

1,231 
  

1,244 
  

1,278 
  

1,335 
  



Lothian 
  

1,989 
  

1,970 
  

1,979 
  

1,717 
  



Tayside 
  

1,200 
  

1,235 
  

1,158 
  

1,101 
  



Island Boards 
  

139 
  

77 
  

120 
  

119 
  



  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. An informal admission is defined as the status of the patient at the time of admission with respect to the Mental Health Act (Scotland) 1984. In the analysis an informal admission refers to the status at the actual time of admission and gives no indication of current status, or of changes during the period in hospital.

  2. Excludes formal admissions.

  3. Excludes patients with any admission to the specialty of Psychiatry of Old Age within these four years.

  4. Analysis based on year of admission.

  5. Health board of residence is that at the time of admission.

NHS Funding

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding was provided to Argyll and Clyde NHS Board for national initiatives outwith its annual budget allocation in each year from 1999-2000 to date, broken down by initiative.

Malcolm Chisholm: Details of additional funding provided to Argyll and Clyde NHS Board for national initiatives outwith its annual budget from 1999-2000 to date are as follows:

  


National Initiative 
  

1999-2000
(£000) 
  

2000-01
(£000) 
  

2001-02
(£000) 
  

2002-03
(£000) 
  



Primary Care Investment 
  
 
 
 

1.014 
  



Delayed Discharges 
  
 
 
 

1.734 
  



Electronic Clinical Communication Implementation 
  
 

0.115 
  

0.751 
  

0.184 
  



Have a Heart Paisley 
  
 

1.141 
  

2.334 
  
 



Innovation Fund for Children’s Services 
  

0.161 
  

0.154 
  

0.346 
  
 



Roll-out of New General Practice Administration System 
  for Scotland 
  

0.738 
  
 
 
 



Primary Care Act Pilots 
  
 
 

0.115 
  
 



NHS Personal Learning Credits 
  
 
 
 

0.030 
  



Health Improvement Fund 
  
 

1.143 
  

1.343 
  

1.244 
  



Personal Medical Services Initiatives 
  
 
 
 

0.068 
  



Waiting Times Orthopaedics Initiative 
  
 
 
 

0.155 
  



IM&T Infrastructure 
  

0.392 
  

0.373 
  
 

0.165 
  



Telemedicine 
  
 

0.066 
  

0.247 
  

0.027 
  



Designed Health Care 
  

0.031 
  

0.135 
  

0.274 
  
 



Learning Together 
  
 
 

0.120 
  
 



Specialist Nursing Initiative 
  
 

0.409 
  

0.512 
  

0.512 
  



Flu Immunisation 
  
 

0.294 
  

0.363 
  
 



Winter Pressures 
  
 
 

0.947 
  

1.040 
  



Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change 
  
 
 

0.200 
  

1.043 
  



General Medical Services Local Development Schemes 
  

0.044 
  
 
 
 



Mental Health and Well-being Development Fund 
  

0.079 
  

0.410 
  

0.540 
  
 



Clinical Effectiveness 
  
 

0.012 
  
 

0.011 
  



Occupational Health and Safety Service 
  
 
 
 

0.052 
  



Return to Practice 
  
 
 
 

0.043 
  



Continuous Professional Development 
  
 
 
 

0.151 
  



Rough Sleepers Initiative 
  
 

0.138 
  
 
 



Development of Managed Clinical Networks 
  
 

0.675 
  
 
 



Leadership Development for Community Nursing Team Leaders 
  
 

0.012

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently employed in Argyll and Clyde NHS Board, including the three NHS trusts, distinguishing between clinical and other categories of employees.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested is available at the following website:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSis_resource/Workforce/workforce_statistics.htm.

Nursing

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in encouraging nurses to return to practice.

Malcolm Chisholm: One hundred and forty nurses or midwives have returned or are in the process of returning to practice as a result of the introduction of the funded managed implementation programme in six board areas since March 2002. I announced an additional £1 million of funding to implement return to practice programmes for all of NHSScotland which will allow up to 600 nurses or midwives to return to practice.

Post Office

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has received from HM Treasury for maintaining access to post office services in deprived urban areas and how it proposes to spend such funding.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive’s assigned budget was increased by £1.5 million as a formula consequential, reflecting the funds set aside in England to support post offices in deprived urban areas. It is our intention to establish a scheme in Scotland similar to the English model and further details will be announced in due course.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the ministerial statement on the prison estates review by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice on 5 September 2002, whether it envisages paying non-domestic rates for the new private-build, private-operate prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29269 on 11 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what new investment was made at HM Prison Aberdeen, and for what purpose, in each of the last five years and what investment is planned, and for what purpose, in future years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The total value of estate development projects completed at HM Prison Aberdeen in the last five years is about £2 million. Options for upgrading the existing health centre are currently being evaluated.

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30329 on 31 October 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Recycling

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives it has introduced to encourage recycling.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has set a national target of 25% recycling and composting of municipal waste by 2006. Eleven Area Waste Plans are being prepared which show how waste will be managed over the next 20 years including measures for recycling. The Executive has allocated over £230 million in the next three years in the Strategic Waste Fund for local authorities to implement the Area Waste Plans.

  The Scottish Executive has also commissioned research to identify possible incentives for householders in Scotland to improve their waste practices.

  The Executive intends to make provision in the Local Government Bill for local authorities to draw up Integrated Waste Management Plans, based on the National Waste Strategy and Area Waste Plans. The Executive will have the power to set targets in these plans, and to revise these plans to ensure that targets, such as those for recycling, are met.

Road Safety

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will arrange for the installation of bar markings or take any further additional safety measures at the Sandyford Toll roundabout on the A77.

Lewis Macdonald: The new Sandyford Toll roundabout at the A77/A719 junction is, in common with all other alterations to the trunk road network, subject to a Road Safety Audit (RSA) procedure. The third stage in this procedure is a site examination once the works have been opened to traffic.

  The RSA, which took place on 21 October, identified a number of measures which could further enhance safety at the roundabout and these have been programmed for completion in week ending 15 November. Yellow transverse bar markings are currently being designed for implementation on the trunk road approaches to the roundabout.

Rural Development

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to attract young people to live and work in rural areas.

Ross Finnie: Our vision for rural Scotland, published in May 2000, stressed the importance of improving the lives of all those living in rural areas. This included our determination to ensure that our rural areas attract and retain young people to live and work there – to ensure that "getting on need not mean going away". To realise that vision, we have in place a range of measures across all Scottish Executive portfolios.

  We are increasing employment opportunities through support for rural economic development, improving the provision of child care and school education in rural areas, and increasing opportunities for further and higher education. We are tackling social exclusion, improving the provision of transport in rural areas and improving housing conditions through our community ownership programme. For example, the proposed transfer of Scottish Borders Council’s housing to Scottish Borders Housing Association will generate around £82 million investment in the first 10 years to repair and modernise the housing stock. The knock-on effect of this substantial investment is expected to be more local jobs and training opportunities.

Rural Development

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Countryside Agency regarding its experience in promoting rural development in England while respecting rural traditions.

Ross Finnie: We maintain good working relationships with the Countryside Agency and my officials meet with agency officials on a regular basis to exchange information and experience. We also collaborate on a number of research projects into rural development issues.

Rural Stewardship Scheme

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average level of payment was from the Rural Stewardship Scheme in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Ross Finnie: For applications approved in 2001, average annual payments were £161.80 in 2001-02 and are £6,868.67 in 2002-03, as at the end of October 2002. The first management payments will be made for these participants in the next three months.

  For applications approved in 2002, average annual payments to date are £222.56 in 2002-03. First management payments are due in 12 months time.

Scottish Enterprise

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism is in place to make public whether Scottish Enterprise has been successful in achieving its performance targets.

Iain Gray: Performance targets for Scottish Enterprise which are agreed with the Executive are contained in their annual operating plan. Achievement of targets contained in the plan is reported in Scottish Enterprise's annual report, which is normally published around six months after the end of the financial year concerned. A public meeting to present the annual report, and to report generally on the achievement of targets is normally held at the time of publication. The annual report for 2001-02 was published on 3 September 2002, and a public meeting held on the same day.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a detailed breakdown of expenditure on public health advertising in each year since 1997-98.

Malcolm Chisholm: Media spend by the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) forms an integral part of the organisation’s health education effort which centres on the Big 3, Think About It and child and family health. This has remained stable at around £2 million for the last four years.

  Details of Scottish Executive expenditure on public health advertising from 1997 to 2002-03 (to date), is as follows:

  


Year 
  

Campaign 
  

Spend 
  



1997-98 
  

Continence Campaign 
  

£2,900 
  



Green Paper: Working Together for a Healthier Scotland


£84,178 
  



Food Safety 
  

£21,455 
  



Organ Donors 
  

£41,300 
  



Total 
  

£149,833 
  



1998-99 
  

White Paper: Towards a Healthier Scotland


£87,452 
  



Food Safety 
  

£21,150 
  



Total 
  

£108,602 
  



1999-2000 
  

Food Safety 
  

£29,035 
  



Healthy Christmas Campaign 
  

£89,649 
  



Total 
  

£118,684 
  



2000-01 
  

Alcohol Misuse 
  

£471,970 
  



Flu Campaign 
  

£1,080,845 
  



Food Safety 
  

£32,480 
  



Lead In Water 
  

£76,977 
  



NHS Helpline 
  

£137,531 
  



Organ Donors 
  

£48,465 
  



Total 
  

£1,848,268 
  



2001-02 
  

Alcohol Misuse 
  

£609,545 
  



Drugs Misuse 
  

£1,710,321 
  



Flu Campaign 
  

£723,460 
  



NHS Helpline 
  

£125,391 
  



Mental Health Problems – Telephone Advice Line 
  

£88,050 
  



Healthy Eating 
  

£65,809 
  



Total 
  

£3,322,576 
  



2002 to date 
  

Alcohol Misuse 
  

£765,290 
  



Drugs Misuse 
  

£1,095,817 
  



Flu Campaign 
  

£657,165 
  



Healthy Eating 
  

£346,376 
  



NHS Helpline 
  

£100,160 
  



Organ Donors 
  

£18,330 
  



Mental Health Problems – Telephone Advice Line 
  

£73,208 
  



Total to date 
  

£3,056,346

Scottish Executive Advertising

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for the Health Education Board for Scotland’s Club Smoking campaign and how much has been spent to date.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Club Smoking advertisement campaign forms part of a smoking strategy targeted at teenagers, which is part of the wider Think About It health campaign. There is, therefore, no specific budget for Club Smoking but approximately £520,000 has been spent on it to date.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evaluation has been carried out of the Health Education Board for Scotland’s (HEBS) Club Smoking campaign and, if so, what the main findings were.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: HEBS evaluates the media impacts of their teens advertising programme through the Teen Tracking Survey, which is carried out every two months with a monthly sample of 300 people aged 12 to 17. Key measures are awareness, understanding of message and emotional response to the ads, with interviews carried out in respondents’ homes. Qualitative post-testing is also carried out to explore in greater depth audience responses to the advertising, and this information then feeds into future planning and development. All evaluation research is carried out by independent agencies, which ensures objectivity and critical reflection.

  Awareness of Club Smoking stands at around 74%. Of those respondents, 79% said that "the ad made me think about health issues" and 71% said that "this ad really sticks in my mind". Furthermore, 77% believed "this ad will convince people that even occasional smokers can become addicted" and 73% said "I could relate to what is going on in the ad".

Scottish Executive Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Solicitor General will reply to my letter dated 20 August 2002 regarding my constituent Mr A Whyte of Aberdircher, Banffshire.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: A reply to the member’s letter was sent on 29 October 2002.

Social Inclusion

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a definition of the Vineburgh area in North Ayrshire.

Ms Margaret Curran: Vineburgh constitutes a population of around 2,000 in the Social Inclusion Partnership area of North Ayrshire.

Social Inclusion

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the definition and boundaries of the Vineburgh area in North Ayrshire have been changed in recent years to include parts of other areas for the purpose of the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund.

Ms Margaret Curran: The definition and boundaries of the Vineburgh area have not changed. However, in order to meet the criteria of the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) regarding the size of population to benefit from the BNSF, the area of Redburn was also included in North Ayrshire Council’s Local Outcome Agreement.

Social Inclusion

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is currently dealing with, and responding to, the views of Vineburgh residents as expressed at organised public meetings and in petitions.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive has received written communications from two residents in Vineburgh to whom we have responded. We are aware that concern has been expressed by Vineburgh residents about North Ayrshire Council’s proposals for the use of Better Neighbourhood Services funding in the Redburn area, although the council’s Local Outcome Agreement includes a commitment to deliver improved services to residents in both Vineburgh and Redburn. The local authority is working closely with residents in both communities to resolve these difficulties.

Social Inclusion

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund has the support and involvement of the residents of the Vineburgh community and how this support is monitored and measured.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are aware that there have been difficulties between North Ayrshire Council and residents in Vineburgh about the use of Better Neighbourhood Service fund resources, which is intended to benefit residents in Redburn as well as Vineburgh. However, the council is working closely with residents in both communities to resolve these difficulties.

Social Inclusion

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why funding originally allocated to a community care centre in the Vineburgh area has been reallocated to projects planned in other areas.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Local Outcome Agreement between the Scottish Executive and North Ayrshire Council covering the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (BNSF) did not include a commitment to build a community care centre in Vineburgh. There was a commitment to build a community centre in the area covered by the BNSF funding which included both Vineburgh and Redburn and this is being taken forward. No funds allocated to Vineburgh and Redburn have been reallocated to projects outside these areas.

Social Justice

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in closing the poverty gap.

Hugh Henry: Closing the Opportunity Gap: Scottish Budget 2003-2006 was published last month. It sets out, by ministerial portfolio, what the Executive has achieved to date and how the recent spending plans and associated objectives and targets will sharpen the attack on poverty, inequality and discrimination.

  In addition, the 3rd Social Justice Annual Report will be published shortly, detailing progress against the 29 social justice milestones.

Tourism

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in relation to educational tourism.

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken by VisitScotland to promote educational tourism.

Mike Watson: The policy of the Scottish Executive is to promote tourism of all kinds, but the concept of educational tourism is not one that is recognised by our education colleagues or by VisitScotland.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the conclusions of the review of the Area Tourist Board network.

Mike Watson: It is anticipated that the results of the Area Tourist Board review will be available early in 2003.

Waste Management

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what extra funding it is making available to (a) Western Isles Council and (b) Argyll and Bute Council for the implementation of EU directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles.

Ross Finnie: No decisions have been made on any additional funding for local authorities in relation to this directive.

Water Supply

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when mapping of the reticulated water supply in the Greater Glasgow area will be completed.

Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:

  Held within the Corporate Geographical Information Systems (GIS) systems are maps of the Greater Glasgow area. These maps are constantly being updated, as new developments are built or refurbishment works to our water mains and sewers are carried out.

  Scottish Water is currently in the process of verifying the data held in GIS to include the locations of valves and ancillary equipment and this exercise will be complete by the end of this month.

Young Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30213 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 October 2002, why it has no survey data more recent than 1998 on young people held in secure accommodation.

Cathy Jamieson: The 1998 survey collected detailed information on each resident in secure accommodation and the care they received. This census has been repeated during October 2002, and the results will be made available in due course.

  In addition, the Executive collects and publishes basic information annually from secure care providers on the characteristics of children and their care. The last figures were published on 2 September covering the year 2000-01 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00191-00.asp. This information was another source used to consider the supply and demand for secure care places.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Opening Ceremony

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the reasons are for appointing an Opening Ceremonies Manager for the new Parliament building; when the decision was taken that such an appointment should be made; who has been appointed to the post and, if the appointee was already a member of the Parliament's staff, whether the postholder's substantive post will be filled; whether the post was advertised and, if so, where, and how much the recruitment exercise cost, including any savings associated with the postholder's substantive post.

Sir David Steel: A member of the Parliament’s staff has been appointed, following an internal competition, to undertake the duties of Opening Ceremonies Manager on a temporary basis. The decision to make the appointment was taken by the Corporate Body on 25 June 2002. The reasons for the appointment are as follows: experience of the 1999 Opening Ceremony pointed towards the need for one or more dedicated members of staff; the work of the Opening Ceremonies Steering Group requires to be supported and the contributions from different sections of parliamentary staff require to be co-ordinated; communication with and monitoring of the work of an external events co-ordinator, once appointed, will best be managed through the post; calls on the budget provisionally allocated for the Opening Ceremonies will be monitored by the manager. His substantive post has been advertised internally, to be filled on a temporary basis. No recruitment costs, other than staff time, have been incurred. To date, no savings have accrued. I will write to the member directly with the other details requested.

Parliament Estate

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the (a) expiry date is of each lease, specifying whether there is any option to renew any lease and, if so, on what basis and (b) (i) annual and (ii) future rent payable by the Parliament is for each building in the Parliament estate.

Sir David Steel: Contracts exist with the City of Edinburgh Council in respect of the following properties currently occupied by the Scottish Parliament:

  Parliamentary Headquarters (George IV Bridge)

  Committee Chambers

  Cannonball House

  369 and 375 High Street

  Under the current arrangements options to renew are not necessary, as these contracts continue on a monthly basis unless and until terminated by mutual agreement. Discussions are on-going with the City of Edinburgh Council as to an end date consistent with the migration to the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood. These discussions will incorporate a review of rent. Annual rentals payable in advance of this review are as follows:

  Parliamentary Headquarters (George IV Bridge) – £763,281.48

  Committee Chambers - £214,395.60

  Cannonball House - £37,622.76

  369 and 375 High Street - £122,957.52

  A contract, with an option to extend, exists with the Church of Scotland in respect of the Scottish Parliament’s occupation of the Assembly Hall. Current rent payable is £110,000 per year, payable in equal quarterly amounts. In terms of the contract, a rent review is currently under way. The option to extend has been exercised and negotiations are on-going on a suitable expiry date in relation to migration to Holyrood.

  Contracts also exist in respect of two properties at the Tun development in Holyrood Road, Edinburgh. The first of these provides office accommodation and will expire on 28 May 2017, although a break clause was negotiated allowing the contract to be terminated on 28 May 2004. This will allow the Holyrood Project Team to continue to operate after occupation of the new building. The current annual rent payable in respect of this property is £69,590. The other contract is in respect of the Visitor Centre and will expire on 28 August 2004. The annual rent payable amounts to £24,750.

  The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body also holds a licence for occupation of office accommodation at the MWB Business Exchange in St Andrew Square. The licence will expire on 31 July 2003 but may be extended. The current annual rental of £718,650 will increase to £754,582 from 1 January 2003.

  Members will note the substantial reduction in rental expenditure expected after occupying the new building.

Parliamentary Correspondence

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has received any correspondence from Prince Charles: if so, whether it will publish any such correspondence and any response made, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Sir David Steel: : No correspondence has been received from HRH The Prince of Wales by the SPCB.

Parliamentary Expenditure

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how much the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has spent on entertainment and hospitality since July 1999, giving details of each event where such costs were incurred, including the purpose of the event, who attended and on what date the event took place.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has incurred approximately £156,000 of expenditure on hospitality over a 39-month period, since July 1999. The cost of identifying each individual event and those present over the last three years would not be justified.

Parliamentary Expenditure

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether there has been any expenditure unnecessarily incurred by the Office of the Presiding Officer; if so, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide details, and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body considers that there is scope for savings in the expenditure of the Office of the Presiding Officer and, if so, whether any such savings can be made in respect of the expenses relating to the (a) Presiding and Deputy Presiding Officers and (b) staff of the Office of the Presiding Officer.

Sir David Steel: No.